PRESS RELEASE: Fair Standards Alliance goes from strength to strength in early 2018 as membership grows

PRESS RELEASE: Fair Standards Alliance goes from strength to strength in early 2018 as membership grows

Brussels, February 19th 2018: The Fair Standards Alliance (FSA) welcomed four new members to its organisation in early 2018 taking the number of members to thirty six. This latest boost in the alliance’s membership cements the European and international leadership role that the FSA now has in driving a fairer and more transparent Standard Essential Patent (SEP) licensing eco-system in Europe. Buoyed by the success of its efforts in 2017 to help frame the European Commission’s industry guidelines on SEPs, the FSA is considered by a broad cross section of industry as having a leading role to play in helping form Europe’s economic future – especially in respect of the rollout of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The new members are:

Continental – Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2017, Continental generated preliminary sales of around €44 billion and currently employs more than 233,000 people in 56 countries.

Freebox – Freebox SAS is a France-based communicating terminals manufacturer producing a range of products including set top boxes, home gateways and network equipment. Freebox is part of Iliad SA, a France-based holding company active in the integrated telecommunications sector.

Laird – Laird is a UK based company with worldwide operating entities providing systems, components and solutions that protect electronics from electromagnetic interference and heat, and that enable connectivity in automotive and mission critical systems through wireless applications and antenna systems for the future of the IoT.

Wiko – Wiko, the French mobile company, was founded in 2011 in Marseille in the South of France. Today it has 500 employees and operates in over 30 countries around the world. Wiko entered into the TOP 5 smartphone brands in Western Europe. Propelled by its success in the European market, the company has a growing international presence in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Wiko is a member of French Tech, a government agency promoting digital innovation and creation.

“I am delighted to welcome these leading European companies from across multiple sectors into the FSA. Whether a multinational or an SME, these companies all share a belief in the FSA’s values and goals including a more open and transparent SEP licensing eco-system to ensure Europe is at the cutting-edge of 5G and the IoT. These latest members are a clear sign that the FSA is rapidly becoming the voice of European business on SEP licensing issues”, said Robert Pocknell, FSA Chairman.

The FSA believes that the innovation ecosystem – especially in Europe – is threatened by unfair and unreasonable SEP licensing practices. Failure to honour the FRAND commitment that exists in most standardisation licensing creates barriers to market entry, threatens to stifle the full potential for economic growth across major industry sectors – such as the automotive sector – and ultimately curbs consumer choice.

The FSA is an alliance of European and international companies – both large and small – across a range of sectors but united by one goal: to champion Europe as a leader in the development and rollout of the Internet of Things (IoT).

Our 30+ members include SMEs, global and European companies such as Volkswagen, BMW, Deutsche Telekom, Harman, Intel, Cisco, Fairphone, AirTies and Nordic Semiconductor. The full list is available on the FSA website.

The members of the FSA contribute to the EU economy by employing more than one million people in the EU alone.

The FSA groups a number of the world’s largest innovators. It includes companies that spend billions of Euros annually on R&D, developing technologies, participating in standards development and licensing Standard Essential Patents to others.

Annually, the aggregate turnover of the Alliance members is close to 2 trillion Euros, and on aggregate our members spend more than 100 Billion Euros on R&D and innovation and have more than 300,000 patents that are either granted or pending.